Slate Belt basking in the glow of two home football teams ** Green Knights, Pius X Royals aim for eastern conference, state glory.

Many Slate Belt residents in the northeastern corner of Northampton County are showing their green, white and blue: green and white for the Pen Argyl Green Knights and blue and white for the Pius X Royals.

"It's a great feeling," said Pete Giordano of Giordano's Pizza in Pen Argyl. He said people have been celebrating the football teams' successes at his pizza place during the week.

"It's great for the kids. I hope both teams get a seat in the [state] finals. People are very excited. We wish them luck. We hope they win. They've been working hard."

Both schools are playing this weekend for the eastern conference championship in their respective divisions.

Pius X will play Southern Columbia in the Class A eastern final at 7 tonight, and Pen Argyl will play St. Pius X at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Class 2A game.

Both games will be at Parkland High School stadium. Wins earn them a trip to Hersheypark Stadium next week for the state championships.

Football fever in the Slate Belt has even spread to nearby Bangor -- the home of Pen Argyl's neighbor and rival, the Slaters.

"It's nice to see two teams from the Slate Belt going," said Tom Giamoni of Pen Argyl Pizza. "I'm from Bangor, and no one's negative. I personally don't like or dislike either team, but I'd like to see both win."

"The Slate Belt wants both teams to be state champions," said Mario Saveri, development director at Pius X. "The parents are excited. Businesses are excited. It would be absolutely tremendous if both teams won."

Saveri has an added stake in the Pius game. The last time the Royals made it to the eastern championship was in 1995, when his son, Marino C., was on that team. This year, Saveri has another son, Matt, who is a freshman, on the team.

"We're wound up for Friday night's game," Saveri said. "We couldn't be prouder of everything our kids do, and not just football, all our kids."

The prospect of the championship alters life for a while.

At Pen Argyl borough offices, borough manager Jaymes Vettraino said he and his colleagues thought about moving their holiday party if it conflicted with one of the play-off games. It proved not to be necessary, as the game dates did not coincide with the office celebrations.

"There's a buzz across the borough," Vettraino said. "Everyone is aware of what's going on and what the boys are doing."

David Ceraul, a lawyer from Bangor, has a unique perspective. He grew up in Pen Argyl and graduated from Pius X; his daughter is a freshman at Pius.

He noted how rare it is for two teams from a small area to go to the championships.

"I know if we [Pius] make it to Hershey and Pen Argyl makes it, a lot of people will be staying over to see both games," he said. "We wish each other well. People not directly attached to Pen Argyl or Pius are excited. You can't go anywhere without somebody bringing it up."